Pottstown Construction Dispute Lawyers

Find the right Construction Dispute attorney in Pottstown, PA

Construction Dispute Law in Pennsylvania

Landowners and contractors in Pottstown, Pennsylvania often contract with each other for major construction projects. With any large construction projects, some small delays or problems are all but inevitable, but they don't usually derail the project or lead to major disputes between the parties.

Most often, landowners and construction contractors are able to resolve minor to moderate disagreements between themselves, and litigation is rarely necessary. Nobody likes litigation, so, to this end, most construction contracts have built-in remedies in case something goes wrong, like set price reductions if construction is delayed.

Even if a third party gets incorporated, it does not always need to be a court. Private mediators can assist the parties reach a settlement, or a private arbitrator who is an expert on construction litigation can render a binding decision, if mediation and negotiation fail and the parties can't resolve their dispute.

Litigating a construction dispute in Pottstown, Pennsylvania is definitely not something that anybody likes doing. Nonetheless, it is sometimes necessary, as a last resort.

Examples of Construction Disputes That Might Lead to Litigation in Pottstown, Pennsylvania

Delays: Some minor delays in a construction project are all but guaranteed to occur. Usually, if contracts require a specific completion date, the contractor will give itself longer than the project would take under ideal circumstances, to account for possible delays. Furthermore, construction contracts usually attempt to insure against delays, such as imposing fees on contractors if the project is delayed beyond a certain point. If no such clause is included in a contract, a court will usually award the client damages that could have been reasonably anticipated at the time the contract was entered into.

Owner's Refusal to Pay: If the contractor completes the project, and the owner refuses to pay the agreed-upon price, the contractor will usually file a lawsuit to recover what is owed. Of course, the owner will usually claim that there is a good reason for not paying, arguing that the contractor didn't conform to the project's specifications, or that the quality of construction was unacceptably poor. In such a case, the court will have to decide if the contractor actually breached the contract by doing shoddy work, which could, at least in part, excuse the owner's duty to pay.

Subcontractor Disputes: In large projects, contractors often can't handle every aspect of the construction, so they hire other (usually smaller) contractors to do some specialized work for them, such as plumbing, electrical installations, and the like. The general contractor, nonetheless, is responsible to the owner for anything that goes wrong. If a subcontractor messes up, and the owner sues the contractor, the contractor will have to pay. Nonetheless, the contractor can then go after the subcontractor to recover whatever he had to pay.

Mechanic's Liens: Sometimes, when a contractor wins in a case against the landowner who hired him or her, and obtains a court order for payment, the contractor will still refuse to pay. Since a money judgment isn't worth much without a way to enforce it, the laws of many states have evolved to allow what's known as a "mechanic's lien." As a last resort, if a landowner refuses to pay the contractor for work done on the property, the contractor can force a sale of the property, and keep the proceeds, up to the amount of money owed.

Can a Pottstown, Pennsylvania Attorney Help?

Construction disputes can be time-consuming and costly. Hiring a reputable Pottstown, Pennsylvania real estate attorney can make it much easier to deal with such disputes, and help you avoid litigation, or prevail if litigation becomes necessary.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Pottstown

Pottstown is a Montgomery County, Pennsylvania borough that is located just 40 miles from Philadelphia and 20 miles from Reading. The area was planned in 1752 and named for the founder, John Potts. Originally dubbed Pottsgrove, the boundaries of Pottstown were extended and it was renamed. Today, Pottstown is the epicenter of one of the most productive farming and dairy regions in the State of Pennsylvania. Pottstown was once interested in iron and steel mills, machine shops, and other manufacturing plants of textiles and goods such as bricks, hosiery, silks, shirts, nails, and furnaces. The borough rests on a total of 4.9 square miles but plays host to 21,900 residents. Pottstown is governed in a city manager form with a mayor and seven-member borough council. The residents are reasonably diverse both ethnically and economically. Most households utilize the transportation and education systems offered by Pottstown, Montgomery County, and Pennsylvania.

Pottstown Area Rapid Transit Inc. offers low cost public transportation throughout Pottstown and surrounding communities. Pottstown also offers two small airports and a passenger rail service called SEPTA. There's lots of options when it comes to schools in Pottstown. Pottstown residents, depending on where they live, are sent to the Pottstown School District, Pottsgrove School District, and Owen J. Roberts School District. There are also nine private institutions, both grammar school and high school, serving the area too. The Montgomery County Community college is the only institution of higher learning. A number of lawyers also live in Pottstown Borough. Pottstown lawyers can help you navigate any legal questions you may have and are well acquainted with the local court systems and procedures.

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